As the size of earthmoving and construction vehicles increases, it becomes increasing difficult to assemble and dis-assemble various replaceable and serviceable components. Such components as replaceable bucket teeth on loader buckets and excavator buckets are normally releasably secured to the buckets or adapters by various types of retaining pins and locks. Large and cumbersome tools, such as drift pins and sledge hammers, are often used to install and remove the retaining pins from their locking engagement with the bucket teeth and adapters. Although these tools are rather primitive, they are effective in removing retaining pins which are oriented in a vertical direction through the bucket teeth. However, recent bucket tooth designs have incorporated retaining pins which are oriented in a horizontal direction through the teeth. Because the teeth are closely spaced along the bucket edge, it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to remove such horizontally oriented retaining pins using conventional hammers and drift pins.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems as set forth above.